Series: Journey
Title: Stand By Me
Author: McRaider
Summary: It's been two months since the events in Beautiful Disaster. Jack and Ianto are now going to face the consequences of their decisions for the first time. It's going to be a bit of a bumpy ride.
Author's Note: Third in my Journey Series; Feels Like Home was the first, Beautiful Disaster is my second. Both of these stories will be brought into play, thus it would help to have read them first.
Rated: PG-13 to R
Disclaimer: Don't own them…now if anyone would like to get me a gift…
Thanks: To my lovely beta!

Chapter One

In the days following Ianto's transformation and Jack's gruesome death, thoughts plagued both men. Was it too easy? It certainly seemed too easy for things to work out this well. They kept waiting for the other shoe to drop—something to happen and it would all be ruined. The metaphorical glass would be shattered and both men would crash to the ground from their stupor they'd been allowed to sneak into.

After one month had passed, both Jack and Ianto had stopped worrying about the idea of it all ending, and began to settle into a more normal routine. Most nights Ianto stayed with Jack in the hub, they'd have sex, sleep together and wake up together, the next morning. To Jack it seemed like the same routine as before—with one difference: the looks. The looks he and Ianto shared now spoke depths of what they'd suffered through together.

By the end of the first month and two weeks into the second, Ianto and Jack had their first fight. Not just one of their cute little fights, but an actual blow up, which started with Jack flirting with someone, leading Ianto to be furious that Jack couldn't commit. One thing led to another—which led them to this very moment.

Jack stood in the doorway of Ianto's flat, a box in his arms—all his personal things he actually needed. Naturally, like all their arguments, this one went from furious at one another to making promises neither were sure they were prepared for. In this instance, Jack had been trying desperately to convince Ianto that he was ready to at least attempt to be exclusive and be with Ianto. Moments later, Ianto made the suggestion that Jack move into his flat.

It was early Saturday morning; Jack had ditched his usual clothes for a pair of faded jeans and a sweatshirt. Ianto had appeared in the hub early that morning in a similar outfit and now they were moving the last of a few boxes into Ianto's flat. A part of Jack felt overwhelmed, unable to believe he'd really agreed to this in the first place. Another part, a more brave and separate part of Jack, was afraid that if didn't actually do this, Ianto would leave him. Jack meant what he'd said, he was in love with Ianto and would spend the rest of whatever time they had together. But, somehow, it hadn't quite sunk into Jack's mind yet that Ianto was actually immortal now.

"Would you like breakfast?" Ianto asked.

Jack shrugged as he continued to stand in the doorway; he probably resembled one of those lost little orphan boys waiting for someone to take him in. "What are you making?"

"Eggs, maybe bacon?"

Jack nodded. "Okay." Why did he suddenly feel so awkward around his lover? Perhaps it was because they were taking this to a whole new level, a level Jack wasn't quite familiar with and hadn't been since his last committed relationship—which had only ended in tragedy.

"You okay?"

He wasn't sure; he wasn't even sure how to answer that question right now. Because as he stood in Ianto's doorway trying to decide his next move, he felt a rush of panic as he watched all the horrible scenes play through his mind of Ianto's torture and death on the Valiant. "Uh—yeah."

Ianto stepped out from the kitchen and over to his lover, studying the man for a moment. He sighed. "You can put your stuff in my bedroom, and then we'll have breakfast. One day at a time?"

Jack smiled; they'd made a pact, shortly after Ianto's change, to take it one day at a time. No matter how hard life seemed. That and they both agreed never to go to bed angry—a pact that had proven, at times, harder than it sounded. "Sounds good."

o0o

Jack laughed out loud as he threw another scrap of tissue paper at his lover—they'd finished breakfast hours ago and had taken to unpacking Jack's stuff, which was now turning into a paper war between the two. Jack couldn't remember having this much fun as he dove at his lover, laughing as they got into a tickle war moments later.

Lying back on the bed, both out of air and faces red, they just lay there. Holding hands and nothing more, barely touching; Jack leaned his head against Ianto's and smiled. "Can I tell you a secret?"

Ianto let out an uncharacteristic snort. "It would be a first."

Jack rolled his eyes. "Stick with me long enough and you'll regret wanting to know all my secrets. Seriously though—can I be really honestly with you?"

"Of course you can."

"I was married—eighty-nine years ago to a beautiful woman. We had one child before she died. My beautiful little Sophia."

"What happened?"

"Well, Mary died first—just a stupid case of pneumonia. But then Sophie died—she was only six, she died of a brain aneurysm." Ianto remained quiet, not wanting to disturb this uncharacteristic moment from Jack. "I haven't done this in a long time Yan, and I'm so out of practice. I'm scared of being love by someone so much, it's not normal for me. My parents—and yes, I had a mother and a father—were just together. I guess what I'm saying is that while the 51st century may be different—we understood commitment to one person."

Ianto smirked as he turned his head and pressed a kiss to Jack's temple. "I love you."

"Love you too."

o0o

Sunday, Jack woke up first, curled in Ianto's arms, a mess of legs and arms. He lay there for a moment, enjoying the silence and the feeling of a nice warm body next to his. Ianto woke up slowly, rolling over, further into Jack's arms and offering the Captain a warm and lazy smile. "Hi."

Jack smirked. "Hi yourself. Sleep well?"

"Mmm, very. What should we do today?"

Jack shrugged, arms still secure around Ianto's waist. "Well, we don't have to go in, so I was thinking lay here—maybe sex later, then a nice shower—more sex—"

"The more sex would defeat the purpose of the shower."

Jack chuckled. "Perhaps but I was hoping we could multitask."

"Ooh, a man of many talents. I like that."

The two remained in the position, not willing to move, neither one in any hurry to enact the first part of their plans. Rather, they decided to just enjoy the silence around them. Jack was the first, however, to break it. "Tell me about your family."

Ianto smirked, deciding it was a fair request since Jack had offered him a little of his own. "I have two older sisters, an older brother and a younger sister. I'm closest to my eldest and youngest sisters. Carys, the eldest, has been married for eight years, two little boys—Cam and Jimmy. Three years apart. My sister Arwyn isn't married, she currently lives in America—she kind of secluded herself from our family."

"Why?"

Ianto shrugged. "Remember when I said I knew the hospital that Cristina was staying at?"

Jack nodded, recalling that case a couple weeks ago with the creepy people popping out of the films. "Yes."

"Yeah well—my sister stayed there off and on for most of her teenage years. She's manic-depressive among other things. She was never too keen on our family. My mam and other sister went to visit her on the weekends, while da took Sean, Livi and I to the cinema."

"Wow, must be some age difference."

"Carys is nearly twelve years older, and Arwyn is nine. Sean is four years older than me. He just recently married an' had a son—David. Our youngest sister, Olivia—or Livi for short—just turned seventeen."

"So you've got a big family."

Ianto nodded. "It's crazy around Christmas, that's for sure."

"Do they know?"

"Livi does—tell her everything. Carys has a fairly good idea, but no one else does."

"Will your parents care?"

Ianto sighed softly as he looked at Jack. "My parents really tried hard to support us no matter what the decision. Valued us for who we were—I'd like to think that me being bisexual or gay—whatever label the universe prefers, isn't important to them."

"Then why haven't you told them?" he wasn't being pushy, he just didn't want to upset Ianto or his family.

"Because, a part of me knows that people are still stuck in the mindset that being gay isn't normal. Perhaps it isn't, but then I've never been one for normality. What about you? Did your parents know?"

Jack shook his head. "51st century labels weren't a big deal; you loved or slept with whoever—especially since there were no STDs anymore. Still, I don't think my mother was all that surprised when I brought home my first lover and it was a man."

"How old were you when they died?"

"I was twelve when my father died and we lost Grey. I wasn't even around when my mother died. I'd already joined the Time Agency and was working for them. Off on some distant planet in another time."

"Do you miss them?"

Jack smiled softly. "My mother, when I was a baby, used to sing this simple little lullaby to me an' Grey. To get us to sleep, I wasn't the easiest baby—in fact I'm mildly surprised they even had Grey. She used to smell like the ocean, her eyes were a blue green and sparkled in the sun. My dad was a fun loving man. He'd play ball with us until the sun went down. I could have stayed there, that young forever."

Ianto nodded. "I have memories like that, when da' used to take us to the cinema, before Livi was born I'd sit in his lap. Those were some of the best memories I have."

"Do you want children?"

Ianto was surprised by that question as he studied his lover. "Never really thought about it."

"You need to know something." Jack paused, preparing himself to be left if he scared the crap out of his lover. "I'm capable of getting pregnant—" He went into detail about how in the fifty first century men were equipped.

"And have you? Ever been pregnant, I mean?"

Jack shook his head. "Only once, I had a miscarriage."

Ianto could see the look of pain and sorrow in Jack's beautiful blue eyes. "I'd like to have children if you wanted to."

Glancing up, Jack smiled and nodded. "It's something I'd like to consider."

"Okay, but we should probably tell my folks we adopted. Gay they can handle, pregnant and gay is a totally different story."

o0o

Monday was the same thing, only they had to get ready for work. Ianto grabbed his shower first and made coffee while Jack hopped in the shower next.

They drove to the hub, and Jack felt like he was on cloud nine for most of the morning. That of course, ended promptly when the rift alarm went off. Tosh stayed behind, letting Ianto, Jack, Owen and Gwen go out.

"I'm showing some kind of activity about two miles south of your location!" Tosh spoke over the blue-tooth head sets.

Jack, driving, turned the corner as he heard Tosh talking into his ear. "Any idea what it is?"

"I've got no distinct signals yet as to what it is."

Jack pulled up in front of a building. "Owen and Ianto, you take that way—" Jack pointed to the left of the building. "Gwen and I will go this way. If you have any trouble get back to the SUV immediately."

Without another word the four headed off in their designated directions. Guns in hand, drawn and prepared they wound their way through the series of empty flats. "Ianto, why don't you go over there and check the room to see if it's clear," suggested Owen, pointing to one of the flats.

Ianto nodded and headed up the stairs, his eyes moving from the doorway of the flat he was about to enter, back to Owen. He glanced around then kicked the door inside. Stepping into the flat he looked around. The room itself was vacant, however for whatever reason it appeared to be filled with smoke. "Torchwood!" he yelled hoping that if someone was in the flat they'd come out. The room didn't smell like smoke, at least not like any smoke he could recall.

"Any signals?" Ianto asked as he moved through the room, wishing he could see through what appeared to thicker smoke than moments ago. "Tosh?" He pressed his finger to his ear bud. "Jack?" Suddenly as if something had come alive he watched in horror as the smoke reared up around him. Raising his gun in the air, Ianto prepared to shoot, but he never got the chance as the smoke formation dove at him. Suddenly the world went black.

TBC